Manchester United 's chances of signing Paul Pogba have been dealt a significant a blow as the Juventus midfielder would prefer to join Real Madrid.

M.E.N. Sport understands Pogba, 23, has intimated he would rather stay at Juve than return to former club United if a Real transfer does not materialise, despite his agent Mino Raiola advising him to join The Reds.

Raiola is believed to have advised Pogba to work under Mourinho for three years and improve ahead of a possible move to Real in the future, but the France international is said to be 'impatient' and eager to move to the Bernabeu sooner than 2019, when he would be 26.

Despite that setback, Pogba has not explicitly rejected United and Real's own interest in the Frenchman has reportedly cooled, with both Madrid sports dailies Marca and AS reporting the Champions League winners' interest in Leicester enforcer N'Golo Kante. AS added Real president Florentino Perez has 'never been Pogba's biggest fan'.

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United appointed Mourinho's agent, Jorge Mendes, to help mediate during discussions with Raiola over a possible deal for Pogba and the club has made headway with the Dutch-born agent who antagonised Sir Alex Ferguson four years ago.

Raiola's clients, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, are expected to join United over the next week.

M.E.N. Sport revealed earlier this month Mourinho had prioritised signing Pogba as his 'captain'-style midfielder, even vetoing a move for Miralem Pjanic, however the new United manager was 'pessimistic' about the club's chances of re-signing a player who left them on a free transfer in 2012.

Pogba left United on a free four years ago

Raiola's clients Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are expected to join United over the next week.

David Moyes had planned on attempting to sign Pogba in the 2014 summer transfer window before he was sacked, yet under Louis van Gaal United's interest in the 2011 Youth Cup winner subsided, with senior sources claiming they were 'looking forward, not back'.

Mourinho is intent on clinching at least four signings in his first summer transfer window as United manager. Ivory Coast defender Bailly was the Portuguese’s first arrival and Mourinho has also targeted a right midfielder, as well as a striker and a central midfielder.